Post-Fire Ecological Restoration & Avian Monitoring
Make an impact while you learn. The Semester of Service Program offers students a volunteer project-based opportunity to support real Federal missions, gaining hands-on experience and valuable career-ready skills. The government-wide "Semester of Service" Student Volunteer Program enables Federal agencies to engage students in unpaid, project-based assignments of limited duration aligning with each agency's strategic priorities.
Major duties
Location: Laguna Cartagena National Wildlife Refuge, PR 301 KM 5.1 Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico 00622 Work Schedule and Flexibilities: minimum 16 hours per week, In office (or work site) only Number of Positions: 2 Term: Spring 2027 (90 day term between mid-January and mid-June) This vacancy will be open until Thursday, October 29th, 2026 at 11:59pm ET or until 24 applications have been received. The vacancy will close on whichever day the first of these conditions are met. If the application limit is reached on the same day the announcement opened, the open and close date will be the same. Candidates are encouraged to read the entire announcement before submitting their application packages. Laguna Cartagena National Wildlife Refuge experienced severe ecological impacts from the 143-acre Bike Trail Wildfire on July 9, 2026, resulting in 97% canopy loss across affected areas, exposed soil, and severe habitat degradation for wintering migratory waterfowl and resident waterbirds. Working in close coordination with Wildland Fire Services, a comprehensive Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) and Burned Area Rehabilitation (BAR) plans were approved. The refuge requires biological field support to execute recovery monitoring and field logistics prescribed in these plans. This project directly aligns with Department of the Interior (DOI) and USFWS priorities to restore fire-impacted habitats, protect migratory bird species, and apply science-driven adaptive management across National Wildlife Refuge System lands. The government-wide "Semester of Service" Student Volunteer Program, as authorized under 5 U.S.C §31114 and 5 CFR Part 3085, enables Federal agencies to engage students in unpaid, project-based assignments of limited duration. These assignments are designed to align with each agency's strategic priorities, offering participants practical experience within Federal operations while supporting the advancement of targeted initiatives.
Qualifications
Applicants will be considered based on their knowledge, skills or abilities related to project needs. Specifically, applicants should be pursuing an associate degree, undergraduate students or graduate students in a sciences field.
Education
To qualify, you must be enrolled not less than half-time in an accredited junior college, college, university, or other accredited educational institution. You also must be in good academic standing as defined by your institution. Attach a copy of your transcripts to your application package for verification.
Requirements
Conditions of employment To participate in this Program, you must: Must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S National studying in the U.S. or abroad Be enrolled not less than half-time in an accredited junior college, college, university, or other accredited educational institution (beyond high school) throughout the 90 day Semester of Service opportunity. Students graduating before May 1, 2027 are not eligible. Selectees will be responsible for contacting a school official to sign a Semester of Service approval form indicating you are currently enrolled at least half-time and in good academic standing. Qualifying educational institutions must be located within the United States. Be in good academic standing as defined by your institution. Commit to volunteering 8 - 20 hours per week for a minimum of 90 days. Complete all required onboarding documentation assigned by the Department of the Interior and your academic institution. Agree to volunteer. This position is unpaid. No compensation, stipends, or hiring preference will be granted from this work. You may use this volunteer experience to qualify for future jobs you choose to apply for. Agree to understanding volunteers are not Federal employees. Not be a current federal employee. Current federal employees can reach out to the contact below to inquire about job detail opportunities.